


A late-night conversation at the Herald’s Rest

by Octopod



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:27:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24589819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Octopod/pseuds/Octopod
Summary: “So, boss,” Bull asked. “You ever had any catches during your time at the Circle?”The Inquisitor frowned behind her tankard. “Catches?”“Yeah. Mages that could give you a good time?” he tilted his head. “Or are templars more your thing?”In which the Inquisitor has a discussion with Bull about mage-templar romance that quickly gets out of hand (thanks to Varric and Dorian).
Relationships: Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	A late-night conversation at the Herald’s Rest

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to lightly explore the tension between mages and templars a bit more and how Evelyn feels about these things now that she’s left the circle. Hints of Inquisitor/Cullen because… well, why not? Any feedback/criticism is always welcome!

It had been a long, but good day. The Inquisitor and her advisors had been able to resolve the most pressing issues at the War Council, she herself had finished the pile of reports and letters invading her desk, and she even had time to spar with Bull before it got dark. The sparring had naturally evolved into a well-earned drink at the Herald’s rest. Or more than one, in Bull’s case.  
The tavern’s hearth burned brightly and above the chatter of the usual patrons soft strumming sounds could be heard by one of the bards. Evelyn and Bull had been talking and drinking for some time, content with just small talk and the presence of ale. But after a while Bull let out a belch, settled back into his chair, and decided it was time for a more personal question.  
“So, boss,” his voice rumbled across the table. “You ever had any catches during your time at the Circle?”  
Evelyn frowned behind her tankard. “Catches?”  
“Yeah. Mages that could give you a good time?” he tilted his head. “Or are templars more your thing?”  
“What? No!” she said, perhaps a little too quickly, because Bull chuckled.  
“So a sensitive topic, then?”  
“The relationship between mages and templars is always a sensitive topic, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”  
“Oh I’ve noticed.” Bull drawled, and then shrugged. “But lock people up in a tower with nowhere else to go, and some fooling around with the other side is bound to happen.”  
“Perhaps. But that wasn’t exactly... encouraged.” She inhaled deeply and caught the scent of roasted pork, soldier’s sweat and spilled ale. She decided it was much better than the scent of dusty tombs and wooden shelves. And templars, for that matter. 

“What are you kids arguing about?” Varric’s voice cut in, startling Evelyn. The dwarf approached their table with a book in one hand and an ale in the other. Evelyn frowned, not entirely pleased about Varric joining in on their private conversation. Perhaps Bull would be so tactful to change the topic, she thought.  
“We were talking about mages and templars fooling around.” Bull said.  
Evelyn narrowed her eyes.  
“What? Really?” Varric let himself fall with a loud thud into the nearest chair.  
“Well, not exa-“  
“In Kirkwall you’d get made Tranquil in a flash if they’d catch you with a templar,” Varric interrupted her. “Not that there was much reason for love between those two groups to begin with.” He looked at Evelyn. “How about your Circle? They were a little less strict, right?”  
Evelyn crossed her arms. “In my circle it wasn’t actually forbidden, but- “  
“You must have some good stories, then.” Varric’s eyes lit up. “I could use those. Admiration from afar, slow burns, secret rendezvous…”  
Bull chipped in: “One-night f-”  
“Look,” Evelyn’s voice a little louder this time. “To help you guys out of your fantasy: relationships between mages and templars were rare and short-lived, because both sides were taught to distrust each other and to keep their distance. And for good reasons.”  
“Those reason being…” Bull said.  
Evelyn bit her lip. “A templar is sworn to protect mages from evil - even if that evil can sometimes come from mages themselves. When that moment happens, that a mage becomes corrupted, a templar needs to strike instantly, without hesitation. Before the demon inside the mage becomes too strong.” Her voice softened. “Imagine how strong-willed you have to be to do that to someone you cared about.”  
A small silence fell around their table, the mood clashing with the cheery atmosphere elsewhere in the tavern.  
The spell was broken when Dorian made his entrance at their table.  
  
“Gentlemen and lady Inquisitor,” he greeted the three. “What are you brooding on this fine evening? Besides the quality of the ale, that is.”  
“Evelyn was going to give us a good templar-mage love story.” Varric said casually.  
”No, that’s not-“  
Dorian clapped his hands. “Excellent. ”  
Evelyn groaned inwardly as Dorian went to sit beside her, wiggling a finger in front of him as if about to start a lecture.  
“I never understood this awkwardness between southern mages and Templars. In Tevinter these things are a lot more… casual.”  
“Don’t Tevinter templars even take lyrium?” Varric asked.  
“Correct. At their core they’re just well-paid guards doing the Magisters’ bidding. Nothing more to it, really. And so there’s nothing wrong with a Tevinter mage having a bit of fun with one of his templars.”  
He turned to Evelyn, one eyebrow pulled up suggestively.  
“But what about your adventures with southern, lyrium-addicted, rigid -” he stopped himself. “- but handsome templars?”  
“Look, there weren't a lot of,” - she lowers her voice - "casual things. But it wasn’t as strict as Kirkwall. So I guess sometimes a short-lived infatuation between two would spring up. And sometimes it was longer.” Evelyn paused a moment, a distant memory overtaking her. “But the involved templar would always get a ‘promotion’ to be stationed somewhere else. So there’s nothing more to it than that.” It was time to change the topic. “How’s your new novel going, Varric?”  
“Great! I have actually been meaning to write a templar-mage story based in Kirkwall. You know,” Varric spread out his hands. “Forbidden romance.”  
“Maker’s-“ Evelyn let out an exasperated sigh. “Can we _please _talk about something else?”  
“Come on, Eve, you gotta have _some_ material I can use.”  
“Have you tried asking Cullen for stories?” Dorian suggested, stroking his moustache.  
“Of course not.” Varric said. ”What you do you think would happen?”  
“Exactly.” Dorian said suggestively. “I would love to see the look on his face when you ask him about templars and mages wooing each other.” He winked at Evelyn while Bull and Varric laughed. She flushed and took another deep swig of her ale.  
“Give up, boss,” Bull slapped his empty tankard on the table with a loud clunk. “Just give us a good story and be done with it."  
Evelyn let out deep sigh and put down her tankard. “Fine. I’ll tell you a story. But it’s not a happy one.”  
The three men at her table leaned forward in almost perfect synchrony, seemingly excited that Evelyn had finally given in. She couldn’t help but give a small smile at her friends before she began.__

__

__

____

____

“My first mentor, she… As long as I knew her, she was together with one of the captains of the templars. Captain Ellias.”  
“That’s what I’m talking about! Forbidden romance.” Varric spread his hands again.  
“It wasn’t forbidden.” Evelyn said.  
“Oh.” Varric frowned, slightly displeased that the story didn’t quite fit his own.  
Dorian waved a hand dismissively. “Shush! Let Evelyn continue.”  
“I think it was overlooked because they both were extremely competent and ranked very high in my Circle. And seeing them together was - “ she faltered, trying to find the right words. “It felt like they showed that there was a different way of how we could live with each other. Where there was mutual trust and respect. But one day the worst possible thing happened.”  
“Did she turn?” Dorian asked softly.  
Evelyn nodded. “It happened during a harrowing. It was just an accident. One of my-“ she paused. “One of the initiates failed his harrowing and got possessed by a pride demon. But the thing turned out to be much stronger than anyone anticipated. Helena - my mentor - she tried to save him, but the demon was too fast. He jumped into her, and -“  
Evelyn didn’t need to say the words for the others to know what had happened.  
“Captain Ellias was there with her. He did what was expected of him: he acted without hesitation.” she made a stabbing motion with her right hand. “Drove a blade through her heart before the demon could completely take over.”  
“What happened afterward?” Varric asked.  
Evelyn gazed at the golden sparks dancing in the tavern’s hearth, not quite seeing them. “He just stood there, blade still in his hand. Then without saying a word, he turned around and left. Later I heard that he had resigned the very same day. I never saw him again.”  
She looked down, swirling the contents of her tankard with her finger. “The relations between us and the templars were never quite the same again after that.”  
“That must have been hard to watch.” Bull said. “I’m sorry.”  
Evelyn gave him a sad smile. “ Me too. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if they were still around during the mage uprising. Perhaps they could have made a difference together.”  
“You still can, though.” Bull said.  
“What, by shagging a templar?” Varric asked dryly. “If only that could solve all of our problems.”  
Dorian, who was at that moment taking a sip of his wine, sprayed out the contents over their table.  
“I’m glad you guys are taking it all so seriously.” Evelyn muttered.  
“That does make me curious, though, Now that you’re out of the Circle, how do you feel about templars now?” Bull asked. “Would you be comfortable with developing feelings for one?”  
“I- I don’t know. It depends, I guess.”  
“Okay. So what about ex-templars?”  
Evelyn gave him a dark look. “I said I don’t know.”

At that exact moment she saw the commander of the Inquisition’s forces enter the tavern and approaching their table. Observing a red-faced Evelyn, Varric and Bull both grinning and Dorian still coughing out his drink, he raised an eyebrow.  
“Inquisitor, am I interrupting anything?”  
_Andraste’s ass, of all people to walk in-_  
Before Evelyn could think of anything to say, Dorian twisted in his seat, looked him in the eye, and said:  
“That depends, commander. Do you have any stories about mages and templars shagging each other?”

After that nobody could hold in his drink anymore.


End file.
